The dismantling of hard-fought net neutrality regulations is all but certain, as the FCC on Tuesday revealed its plan to repeal the so-called “equal access to the Internet” rules passed under the Obama administration.

The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to vote on the plan Dec. 14. Unless there is legislative action before then — which is unlikely — the Republican-majority agency is expected to approve Chairman Ajit Pai’s proposal 3 to 2. His draft order is circulating among the commissioners now; he says he will publicly release it Wednesday.

Net neutrality is the principle that service providers must treat all online traffic equally. In its absence, broadband companies may be able to charge more to certain users or for faster service, and block access to some websites.

Repealing the rules would hand a big victory to cable and internet providers who insist net neutrality constrains innovation and competition. This comes as some providers are increasingly offering their own video services, for example.

“Under my proposal, the federal government will stop micromanaging the Internet,” Pai, a Republican and longtime opponent of net neutrality who was appointed FCC commissioner by President Trump this year, said in a statement Tuesday. “Instead, the FCC would simply require Internet service providers to be transparent about their practices so that consumers can buy the service plan that’s best for them.”

Pai cites industry research that claims broadband investment has decreased because of net neutrality rules.

“The removal of antiquated, restrictive regulations will pave the way for broadband network investment, expansion and upgrades,” said Jonathan Spalter, the chief executive of USTelecom, an industry lobbying group.

But net neutrality proponents worry that the opposite may be the case.

“The new FCC proposal is a flat-out step backward,” said Jake Rosenberg, CTO of San Francisco-based startup LendUp. “It would hinder tech companies… in competing against deep-pocketed incumbents. Our goal is to reduce costs for consumers, and increased net costs, which could result from the new proposed rules, make that even more difficult.”

Other net neutrality advocates say that critical principles are at stake.

“Internet rights are civil rights,” said Jay Stanley, American Civil Liberties Union senior policy analyst, in a statement. “Gutting net neutrality will have a devastating effect on free speech online. Without it, gateway corporations like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T will have too much power to mess with the free flow of information.”

Fight for the Future is planning a nationwide protest at Verizon stores, including in San Francisco, Dec. 7, a week before the planned FCC vote. Pai, who also has worked for the Department of Justice, is a former lawyer for Verizon.

“Ajit Pai may be owned by Verizon, but he has to answer to Congress, and lawmakers have to answer to us, their constituents,” said Evan Greer, campaign director for Fight for the Future.

Jessica Rosenworcel, one of the two Democratic commissioners of the FCC, vowed to keep pushing for public hearings ahead of the FCC vote.

“We should go directly to the American public to find out what they think about this proposal before any vote is taken to harm net neutrality,” Rosenworcel said in a statement.

When reached Tuesday by this publication, Tina Pelkey, press secretary for Pai, was not immediately sure whether any public hearings are scheduled before the Dec. 14 vote.

Polls have shown that a majority of Americans support net neutrality, and the FCC received tens of millions of comments about the issue during the public comment period earlier this year. In May, a survey by Mozilla and Ipsos found that 81 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of Republicans support net neutrality. In June, a survey by Morning Consult and Politico found 60 percent of U.S. voters support net neutrality rules. That same month, a survey by trade group Incompas and IMGE, a GOP polling firm, found that about two-thirds of GOP voters and Trump voters said ISPs should be prohibited from slowing or blocking websites.